Automatic musical instrument



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J MQTAMMANY, Jr.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

r No. 252,614. Patented Jan. 24,1882.

H g 7 y/ 4 M Zfuesses. I lumen far kzt' '2 lg WM (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. McTAMMANY, J12.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

' No; 252,614. I Patented Jan. 24,1882.

lhogmnher. Wahin wn. u. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MGTAMMANY, JR, OF WVORGESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 252,614, dated January 24, 1882.

Application fi ed November 11, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN MOTAMMANY, J12, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Musical Instruments and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to letters or figures ofret'crenee marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to automatic musical instruments of that class in which mechanism is interposed between the music-sheet and the reed-valves, whereby the apertures in said music-sheet govern the opening of said valves without allowing the blast of air to pass through said apertures.

The object of this invention is to simplify the construction of such intervening mechanism, while retaining all the advantages obtained thereby.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same, with a part of the top ofthe casing removed. Fig. 3 represents a detail view of the operating-lever, arm, and spring.

In said drawings, A designates the casing of oneof my improved automatic musical instruments, in the top A of which are a series of longitudinal slots, at, corresponding to the lines of openings in the music-sheet that is fed over said top by lower feed roll, B.

C designates the rack, carrying presser-bar D and upper feed-roll, E.

F designates the reservoir-bellows, arranged below and supplied by feeder-bellows F F; andG designates the driving-shaftof the machine, which carries a fluted roll, H, extending across the interior of said casing. There is nothing new in these parts, so they need not be more fully described.

I designates a pivot-bar extending across the interior of the machine from side to side, and constructed with channels which run longitudinally of the machine, and which are connected by grooves crossing the tops of the intervening blocks. In each of said channclsis placed a lever, J. provided with lateral pivo s or. trunnions j, that rest in said grooves and allow upward and downward vibration to said levers at each end thereof. All the levers of the series are arranged longitudinally of the' machine and operate independently of one another. The outer end of each lever bears upon the padded upper end, k, of a valve-rod, K, the depression of which opens aired-valve, L, so as to allow ingress of air to its reed M. The other end of said lever carries a hinged upright arm, N, which carries at its upper end a rigid metallic finger, O, which is flattened and beveled at its tip to a chisel-edge. A spring, P, extends across the angle formed by said lever and hinged arm, and being attached to them both serves to draw said arm toward said lever. A bent and padded stop-pin, Q, prevents said arm from being drawn too far in that direction and holds it in position for successful operation. Said pin is attached in any convenient manner to said lever. 'A second spring, R, attached to the under side of the front part of said lever, draws itstrongl y down against said valverod K, and raises rigid finger 0 until its chisel-pointed tip protrudes through one of the openings a and comes in contact with the music-sheet traveling over thelatter. The upperend ofarm N, atthe point of attachment of said finger, forms a shoulder, N, extending laterally therefrom, and guarded by a pad, 'n. This shoulder is adapted to be engaged by fluted roll H, as the latterrotates, when said arm is in its rearmost position.

The operation of the foregoing parts is as follows: The rotation of driving-shaft Gr operates the lower feed-roll, B, which causes the music sheet to move along between it and the upper feed-roll and over the series of slots or openings a. When an impert'orate part of said sheet comes in contact with the upper end of finger 0 it draws said finger back in its openinga, turning armNback uponits hingeagainst the resistance of retracting-spring P and toreing downward the rear or inner end of lever J, so as to lift the other end of said lever off from the end of the valve-rod against the resistance ot' retracting-spring R. The elasticity of the valve-spring then cuts off the current of air and stops the sound through that reed.

WVhen the finger 0 reaches the rear end of its slot a the drag of the music-sheet uponit would probably tear the latter if there were no means of removing said finger from said sheet. This, however, is almost instantly effected by the engagement of some one ofthe broad teeth or flutes of the fluted roll H. which strikes against the shoulder N of arm N and forces said arm downward until finger O is clear of the musicsheet. Spring 1? then draws said arm forward far enough to restore the tinger O to its first position at the front end of slot a, and the operation is repeated. Thus each reed-valve is allowed to remain closed until the appropriate finger 0 enters one of the apertures or slots in the music-sheet. There is then nothing to counteract thedownward draft of spring R and the consequent opening of the reed valve, which will continue open until said finger is again under an impert'orate part of the music-sheet; The duration or length of the note thus depends on the size of the opening in said sheet. The material of the sheet at the end of the opening necessarily carries the finger backward until it is withdrawn, as before stated, by the action of theflnted roll and restored to its first position by the retractings )rin P.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a valverod, a lever operating the same, and a music-sheet with a vertical arm hinged to said lever, and a spring which retracts said arm, substantially as set forth.

2. The finger O, in combination with shouldered arm N, fluted roll H, springs P and R, stop Q, the lever J and its valve, valverod, driving-shaft, and actuating mechani m, substantially as set forth.

8. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination ofacase having slots at in its top with a series of levers for opening the reedvalves, a series of uprightarms hinged to said levers and provided with fingers 0, and the fluted roll, adapted and arranged to engage with and depress any one of said arms as it is drawn into its rearmost position by the action of the music-sheet, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MGTAMMANY, JR.

Witnesses:

WM. H. BABCOC'K, EDWARD G. Sroenns. 

